news The AgStar Fund for Rural America is awarding a $2,500 grant to The Rural Renewable Energy Alliance (RREAL), a nonprofit organization in Pine River committed to ensuring solar energy is safely and effectively deployed through the region. The grant money will be used for a transpired air project for the...
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2014-05-13 18:06:53

The AgStar Fund for Rural America is awarding a $2,500 grant to The Rural Renewable Energy Alliance (RREAL), a nonprofit organization in Pine River committed to ensuring solar energy is safely and effectively deployed through the region.

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The grant money will be used for a transpired air project for the turkey industry. A low-cost, effective solar technology, transpired air is designed for makeup air loads and offers an opportunity to dramatically reduce and stabilize energy costs for turkey producers

RREAL is partnering with an independent Minnesota turkey producer to install a system that is expected to illustrate the effectiveness of transpired air for turkey barns and potential for other similar livestock applications.

The grant from AgStar will be used as technical assistance funds for the data analysis of the project. Specifically the grant will be used to support the deployment of data monitoring equipment, retrieval and evaluation.

“This project will benefit farmers and rural communities and compliments AgStar technology priority by supporting the advancement and utilization of this innovative technology,” said Melanie Olson, coordinator for the AgStar Fund for Rural America. “Transpired air technology for turkey barns benefits producers through energy and cost savings, allowing farmers to harvest better margins and strengthening the resiliency of the rural, agricultural economy.”

RREAL was founded in 2000 and has been offering solar electric and solar thermal design and installation services since. Primarily serving low-income families and individuals in rural Minnesota communities, RREAL works to advance regionally and nationally replicable solar energy solutions as clean, economic alternatives to high cost, fossil fuel intensive practices.

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